Winter is often a stressful time for homeowners, as problems with your house during the cold weather can prove devastating. As the weather warms up, it’s easy to feel like you can worry less about your house. Your house still needs attention during the warm weather both as good maintenance and prep for next winter.
HVAC Tune-Up
With summer looming, you’re probably worried about your A/C unit. You should absolutely get it looked at, but don’t forget about your furnace. Why worry about heating repair when you won’t use your stove or furnace for six months? Worrying about it now makes sense because it’s not a crisis if it’s not working.
You’ve been using your furnace daily for months. That’s a lot of wear and tear on the machinery. Getting it looked at now means you find out if any of the parts are on the verge of failure. Even better, you won’t freeze to death if it’ll take a week for replacement parts to arrive.
Roof Inspection/Repair
Winter weather can cause substantial damage to your roof. High wind storms can rip shingles or tear them right off the house. Ice dams can lead to interior damage and roof damage. Ice and debris can also damage your gutters.
At a minimum, you should pull out a ladder and inspect your roof for missing or damaged shingles. It’s also advisable to look for spongy spots that can indicate the wood underneath the shingles has been compromised. If you don’t want to get out on your roof yourself, you can typically find a local roofer who will do a roof inspection for a modest fee.
Exterior Cleaning/Repair
Many people find it surprising, but the outside of your home can accumulate a lot of dirt over the course of the winter. You should take a hose to your exterior walls and decks to help remove grime or hire a house cleaning service. This cleaning can expose wear-and-tear or damage to your paint job, deck sealing or siding.
Catching this wear and tear or damage early gives you a much better chance or repairing the problem before it becomes a catastrophe.
The warm weather can lull you into a false sense of security about your home. Before you kick back for barbeque and baseball, have your HVAC system serviced. Check your roof and repair any damage you spot. Give your house exterior and decks a thorough cleaning and fix any problems you notice.
